Universal coupling.



No. 783,160. PATENTED FEB. 21, 1905.

- H. G. WARREN.

UNIVERSAL COUPLING. APPLIOATIUN FILED NOV. 22, 1904.

F gz.

I I ygzie'esses 7 fizmswzvr, I 1n: ifrreiz UNITED STATES PatentedFebruary 21, 1905.

PATENT @EETEE.

UNIVERSAL COUPLING- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.783,160, dated February 21, 1905,

Application filed November 22 1904. Serial No. 233,814.

To (all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERBERT C. WARREN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inUniversal Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for uniting shafts so that one shaftmaybe driven from another at any desired angle and the speed of thedriving and driven shafts will remain constant no matter what may be theangular relation of said shafts with respect to each other.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the principle involved isthat of two spheres one movable within the other, sections of the arc ofone sphere being formed on the inner side of a divided ring or shell andsections of the like arc of the other sphere consisting of curvedsurfaces on projections carried by the shafts, the sides of thelongitudinally-curved projections being flattened and fitting in groovesor slots of the shell or ring toconstitute a positive drive.

Primarily the object of the invention is the provision of a universaljoint or coupling involving the principle above stated.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a divided shell orring having pockets with flat sides and curved bases and in connectionwith said ring shafts, each having a pair of longitudinally-curvedprojections at its end, said projections being fitted in the pockets andeach having a longitudinally-curved outer surface struck on an arc theaxis of which is the same as that of the are on which the curved base ofthe pocket is formed.

A further object of the invention is the provision of shafts, eachhaving a pair of longi tudinally-curved projections at its end and ashell or ring having pockets for the reception of said projections, saidpockets being located in pairs at right angles to each other and eachhaving flat sides and a curved base to conform to the shape of theprojections.

Other objects of the invention'will be here inafter stated.

'dicates a stub-shaft bored to receive the shaft proper and provided atits inner end with a pair of longitudinally-curved projections 6, eachprojection having a pocket 7 for the reception of a plug of felt orother absorbent material containing lubricant. To afford lightness, theend of the shaft is bored or drilled at 8, although this feature may beomitted, if desired. Each projection 6 has a longitudinally andtransversely-curved outer surface 9, constituting the section of asphere, and flat sides 9. for the purposes hereinafter stated. Indicatedby 10 is another stub-shaft, and this is provided with projections 10,each having a longitudinally and transversely curved periphery 11, alsoconstituting the section of a sphere, and flat sides 11". Each of saidarms or projections 10' is bored at 12 to form pockets for lubricatingplugs, (not shown,) and the head of the shaft 10 is provided with aseries of pockets 13 to accomplish the same result as the pockets 8.

Indicated by lt is a ring or shell composed of two sections 14 and 14united by screws 15 or other suitable devices. Each section is providedwith a series of semipockets 16 16 arranged at right angles to eachother, which when the sections are united form full pockets 16, havingflat side walls 17 and longitudinally and transversely curved bases 18,each curved base constituting the section of a sphere.

It will be observed that every point on the longitudinally-curvedsurfaces 9 and 11 of the arms or projections 6 and 10 is radial to theaxis of the circle on which said curved surfaces are formed and thatevery point of each' transversely-curved periphery is also l each otherprovision is made for the spherical radial to the axis of the circle onwhich the arc is formed, so that each arm or projection has a sphericalperipheral surface for purposes to be hereinafter explained. In likemanner the longitudinally and transversely curved base of each pocketfor the reception of the arms is formed on the same lines as theperipheries of the arms and therefore also constitutes the section ofasphere. It will therefore be seen that. the coupling involves theprinciple of one sphere rolling or rocking within in another sphereand-that when power is applied to one section it will necessarily bereceived on the same lines by the other section, and notwithstanding theangle to which one shaft may be turned it will always be driven at thesame velocity as the shaft to which the power is applied. As will beobserved, the heads 19 of each shaft are flattened to the same lines asthe sides of the arm or projections, and the end of each arm is curvedat 20 and grooved at 21 to provide the necessary clearance when the armsof one shaft move toward the head of the other shaft. These grooves alsoserve to lighten the arms at points thereof where the necessary strengthor rigidity will not be affected. As each arm exactly conforms to theshape of the pocket in the sectional ring, it has a full hearing ordriving surface not only on the sides of the pocket. but also on thelongitudinally and transversely curved base thereof, thereby affordinggreater strength as well as ease of movement of the coupling when poweris applied to the driving-shaft. Furthermore, all tendency of therupture of the wall of the pocketunder great strain is avoided byapplying the power equally to all surfaces thereof instead of but toseparated points on the surfaces thereof, as in prior constructions withwhich I am familiar. In other words, each pocket is filled by an arm orprojection, and the bearingspoints are continuous along the sides andthe longitudinall y and transversely curved surfaces of both the arm andprojection, sufficient clearance of being of course left to enable theproper working of the parts.

Each section of the ring 14 is depressed at 22 between the pockets, thusleaving space for the screw-heads and forming longitudinally-curvedstrengtheningribs 23, uniting each pocket.

In Fig. 3 a protecting-covering 24: is shown, composed of sections 25and 26, the hubs of which are entered by the stub-shafts, and auniting-section 27; but this covering may be omitted, if desired.

By constructing the coupling in the manner described ease and perfectionof movement of the various parts are achieved, and as the heads of theshafts are in planes at right angles to rocking or rolling movement ofone part on the other in the manner set forth.

Changes may be made in details of the joint without departure from theinvention, which is not limited to the exact construction shown anddescribed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A universalcoupling comprising shafts, each having a pair of arms provided withpartispherical peripheries and flat sides, and a ring having pocketsformed with flat sides and parti-spherical bases for the reception ofsaid arms.

2. A universal coupling comprising shafts provided with flattened headslocated at right angles to each other, each head having a pair of armswith parti-spherical peripheries, and a ring having pockets withparti-spherical bases for the reception of said arms.

3. A universal coupling comprising shafts provided with heads, each headhaving an arm longitudinally and transversely curved on its periphery,and a sectional ring having pockets conforming at their bases to theshape of the peripheral surfaces of said arms.

4. A universal coupling comprising shafts, each having a head providedwith arms having flattened sides, and longitudinally and transverselycurved peripheries, and a sectional ring having pockets, each pockethaving flat side walls and longitudinally and transversely curvedbase-walls, and means for uniting the sections of the ring.

5. In a universal coupling the combination,

with shafts having flattened heads and arms projecting from said heads,each arm having flat sides and a parti-spherical periphery, and theheads being located at right angles to each other, of a sectional ringprovided with pockets conforming to the shape of the working surfaces ofthe arms, and means for uniting the'sections of the ring.

6. In a universal coupling,the combination, with a ring having pocketsprovided with flat sides and parti-spherical bases, of a shaft havingarms with flat sides and parti-spherical peripheries inserted in a pairof said pockets; and a second shaft having arms and provided with fiatsides and parti-spherical peripheries fitted in the other pair ofsockets.

7. The combination, with a ring having a series of pockets, each pocketprovided with flat sides and a longitudinally-curved base, of shaftseach having arms provided with flat sides and longitudinally-curvedperipheries to conform to the walls of the sockets.

8. The combination, with a ring composed of united sections, eachsection containing semipockets, and the external walls of each pocketbeing connected when the rings are united by a rib, of shafts havingarms inserted in the sockets.

9. In a universal eoupling,the combination, with a sectional ring havingpockets provided With flat sides and transversely and longitudinallycurved bases, of shafts, each having at its end a flattened headprovided With arms having each a transversely and longitudinally curvedperiphery, said heads being disposed at an angle to each other, and thearms fitting I the pockets of the ring, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

In testimony whereof I'aflix my signature in presence of-two Witnesses.

HERBERT C. WARREN.

Witnesses:

F. E. ANDERSON, C. B. ANDERSON.

